Nemos GmbH has developed a wave power plant that delivers around 30% higher levels of efficiency compared to competitive products. Following the success of the pilot plant in Denmark, the first large-scale plant is scheduled to go into operation in 2017. The combination of the connection to existing offshore wind turbines, the use of the existing infrastructure and the use of Siemens technology for drive and control leads to an effective and efficient operation of the power plant.    

The energy of sea waves available in oceans and oceans worldwide represents a hardly used, but almost inexhaustible source of energy. The company Nemos from Duisburg has now developed a particularly innovative wave power plant, which is characterized by high efficiency and low installation and maintenance costs. This is evidenced by a prototype in the 1: 5 scale, which has been generating electricity under real conditions in Denmark since August 2014. Due to the optimized trajectory and control, the Nemos system achieves up to 80% significantly higher efficiencies than other wave energy systems.

After the successful prototype, the first large-scale plant in the North Sea is to be realized in a timely manner. The pilot plant is operated with 1FW3 torque motors Simotics T, Sinamics S120 inverters and a Simatic S7-1500 controller. The requirements for the electrical equipment are high. In addition to the desire for high efficiency and peak load, rapid load changes and low frequencies in the small power range must be possible, among other things.

Principle of the Nemos wave energy system: The wave energy is absorbed by an elongated buoyancy body, which is guided on three ropes in such a way that it makes maximum use of the horizontal and vertical wave forces. Since the plant can be connected to existing offshore wind turbines, there are synergies with regard to the existing infrastructure.

For example, the existing connection to the country can be used for energy transmission. There is another reason beyond the use of common infrastructure that makes the wave power plant particularly attractive in connection with an offshore wind farm: the relationship between waves and wind. Both usually occur with a time lag, so that the combination of the systems ensures continuous power generation and utilization of the lines.

Above: Guided by three ropes, the float can use the maximum horizontal and vertical wave force.